


Transition

by kailthia



Series: Awkward Augmentation [2]
Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Dwalin Is A Softie, F/M, M/M, Nori gets the flu, Ri Family Feels, ace characters, kind of soulmate-y?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-01
Updated: 2014-07-20
Packaged: 2018-02-03 01:00:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1725416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kailthia/pseuds/kailthia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Ris experience more family growth, and then some family shrinkage.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fish in mushroom sauce

**Author's Note:**

> So this is back!  
> Timeline issues:  
> Based on the LOTR Appendices:  
> BOTFA: 2941  
> Balin goes to Moria w/Óin, Ori and co.: 2989, with Balin dying in 2994.  
> This gives a nice 48-year gap for Ri family feels. This is maybe 20 years into that 48.
> 
> And yes, Dwalin is a coffee man.  
> True love – wiping the nose of a sleeping person you <3.

If you're interested, my Tumbr is[ here](http://kailthia.tumblr.com/). 

Dwalin disentangled himself from Nori’s hair and swung out of bed, dressing and leaving the bedroom he shared with Nori as quietly as he could to avoid waking his husband. Nori had been doing a lot of night work lately; Bofur suspected some sort of smuggling being done near one of the mines he was in charge of, but Dwalin and his people couldn’t do anything without _proof_ , so Nori and his people were looking into it.

He followed the sound of frying bacon to the kitchen, snagging a piece before Yngva smacked his hand away with the spoon. Dwalin pointedly sulked as he poured a mug of coffee from the jug kept warm on the fire, thanking Mahal that Nori had introduced him to the strong beverage. What was the point of being stupidly rich without being able to take advantage of the occasional luxury? The coffee’s bite was especially beneficial during the cold winter months; now, with February waning, Dwalin was glad for the warmth seeping into his fingers from the mug.

As Yngva dished him out some breakfast (and the coffee had the desired effect), Dwalin also spared a moment of thanks for the fluke of fate that had basically dropped their daughter into Nori’s lap. It was an expression that all three of them had often made during the past twenty years.

They finished their meal in contented silence, then cleaned up and gathered the belongings they would need for their respective days. As they made their way out the door, Dwalin gave Yngva a quick hug.

“You’re with Dori again today?” he asked.

“Yes,” she replied, reaching up to adjust his collar to cover – _oh_. That was an impressively-sized hickey. Good that she’d caught that. It wouldn’t do to be seen at work with that so obvious.

Yngva trotted down the street, waving before she turned the street corner, wrapping her scarf firmly around her face and her elaborate braids, which were done up similarly to Dori’s but in bunches of three that were a clear nod to Nori. Dwalin smiled, then cursed as the city bells chimed the quarter-hour. He would have to be quick if he didn’t want to be late. He ran, cursing the cold that penetrated even this far into the Mountain during the depths of winter.

oOoOoOoOo

            Dwalin came home to the smell of fish in mushroom sauce. Yngva had obviously brought home dinner from Dori’s shop – she and Nori were both adequate but indifferent cooks, and the smells coming from the kitchen were too good to be their work. Dwalin’s guess was justified when he entered the kitchen after removing his outer layer – one of the cheap but sturdy apprentice-made lathe baskets Dori got from Dale for his takeout orders was in the middle of the table, the equally-cheap apprentice made pottery bowls beside it the source of the good odor.

Less good was the way that Nori sat slumped in his usual chair nursing his tea, still in his sleeping clothes and with his hair in a loose braid. Frankly, Nori looked _terrible_ , and the way he halfheartedly poked at his food was not reassuring – long years of hardship never entirely forgotten made Nori a quick and neat eater under almost all circumstances. So seeing Nori not eating properly was a real cause for concern. Yngva was hovering anxiously, clearly wanting to do something but unsure of exactly what.      

            Nori looked up as Dwalin entered the kitchen, and gave the larger dwarf a half-hearted smile. “I’m feeling a little under the weather today,” he mumbled. “Stayed home and slept.”

Dwalin took a few bites of the fish set out for him – it was good, up to Dori’s usual standards – and then strode over to Nori, feeling his forehead – hot.

“You’ve got an impressive fever. Want to take a few days off work?”

Nori nodded, leaning into Dwalin’s side and closing his eyes.

Dwalin dragged his chair over to sit next to Nori, then repositioned his plate so he could finish his supper while keeping an arm around his husband. Looking over at Yngva, he asked her quietly, “Go and stoke up the fireplace in our room? And then bring me paper and ink and a quill?” She went, grabbing the ash-bucket from its place by the kitchen fire. Dwalin had finished his meal long before she returned, contenting himself with cuddling the half-asleep Nori, occasionally swiping a corner of his sleeve over the thief’s face whenever the flow of mucus that had begun to seep out of his nose threatened to get in his beard.

Once Yngva had brought him writing implements, Dwalin pushed away his plate in favor of quill and parchment. Both his own second and Nori’s (a shady character that Dwalin met only rarely) needed to know that they would be off work for a few days; they were both accustomed to taking control of their respective operations in a rather abrupt fashion, so this wouldn’t be a problem. Another note would go to Bombur in the kitchens; it wouldn’t do too cook in a germy area, and Bombur could send over invalid-friendly items.

Sending Yngva off with the notes – it was late, but not so late that a young dam with sense (and knives) couldn’t walk in the nobles’ quarter alone – Dwalin picked up the half-asleep Nori and hauled him to their bedroom.

“C’mon, Nori, wake up a little. A hot bath will do you a world of good, and then you can go back to sleep.” Nori grumbled and buried his head against Dwalin’s chest, protesting weakly when Dwalin began to peel of his nightclothes. Nori let out a long ‘oooh’ of contentment when Dwalin eased him into the inset bathing pool in their bathroom, which was heated by the hot springs that ran throughout the Mountain, sliding under the water completely except for a small portion of his face. Dwalin chuckled; Nori’s nose looked like the prow of one of the rocks near the edges of the Long Lake, jutting out of the water sharply.  

By the time Yngva returned from her errands (a crock of soup in hand, courtesy of Bombur), Nori and Dwalin were both curled up in their bed, fast asleep. After peering into their bedroom, Yngva put the soup on the corner of the fire to keep, locked the door to the house, then slipped out of the pantry windows. There were a group of Human players from Gondor currently in Dale, and this was the perfect opportunity to see them perform.  

 


	2. A landed fish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There is News. And pneumonia.

Despite all efforts to the contrary, Nori’s cold quickly settled into his chest – mostly due to his work-induced exhaustion and a long cold snap that made even the warmest fire’s heat of limited use. While Nori was in little danger of dying as long as he contracted no other disease (the reason why he stayed at home instead of going to the medical wing), he needed to be taken care of – kept warm and hydrated, and distracted when he was awake. Nori, being Nori, was easily bored, and was soon fed up with his forced confinement.

The ‘few days off from work’ that Dwalin had anticipated soon turned into a few weeks. Various others, especially from the Company, came in to spell Dwalin and help break the drudgery of Nori’s forced confinement to his bed, or at least stop with food, medical supplies, or other useful items. Dwalin soon found himself bored out of his mind, as all Nori wanted to do is sleep and use Dwalin as a dwarf-sized comfort object. Dwalin didn’t mind the cuddles, but he was used to more freedom of movement than he could get with Nori big-spooning him into motionlessness. At least the fever made Nori babble, which had been funny and occasionally useful; the mostly nonsensical fever-induced hallucinations had been interspersed with comments that would be … useful … when Nori was well again.     

            Dori and Ori were often in Nori and Dwalin’s home in the early period of Nori’s illness, but for some reason unknown to the couple, Ori began coming with decreasing frequency, and Dori’s visits, while remaining the same frequency, were often punctuated by worried frowns and harrumphs that were unrelated to Nori’s illness. Dwalin did not really feel that it was his place to inquire – the Ris were notoriously private, and his marriage to Nori had only partially lifted the veil of secrecy that they kept most of their lives hidden under. He trusted that he would find out about it – one way or another – if it was important.

            The eventual discovery came some when Nori was mostly recovered from his illness – still on bed rest but well enough to hate every minute of it. Yngva had come in from a shift at Dori’s shop, bearing egg noodle soup and bread fresh from the bakery that was down the street from _The Silver Cup_. Dwalin had carried Nori to the kitchen to eat, with the smaller dwarf complaining all the way about being babied, and being wrapped up in so many blankets he could barely _move_ , settling him into the overstuffed chair that Dwalin had strong-armed into the kitchen from the living room so that Nori could be as comfortable as possible while he was eating or otherwise in the kitchen during his recovery. Yngva had served the food and was practically bouncing in her seat, a rare reaction from their usually reserved daughter.  

            After Nori was settled into his chair and Dwalin had found his own, he turned to Yngva. “What’s gotten in to you? Did you finally knock out that lad that was trying to court you that you didn’t like, or do I have to go have a word with him?” Dwalin fidgeted his knuckledusters significantly.

Yngva wrinkled her nose at her larger father. “I haven’t talked to him yet, but I’d be grateful for the opportunity to do it myself _before_ Regin has an unfortunate meeting with your knuckledusters. But that’s not the point. Now that Nori’s finally feeling better, I’m finally allowed to tell you the news.”

Nori scowled. “What news?”

A thought occurred to Dwalin. “The news that’s kept Ori away for so long?”

Yngva nodded, smiling. “Ori’s found his One.”

Dwalin sputtered on his mouthful of bread, and Nori gaped, a motion which set of a coughing fit. Once the redhead had recovered somewhat, he stammered, “W-what?”

Yngva was clearly enjoying herself. “Your little brother has found his One – you know, his soulmate, the Mahal-given other half of his soul, the person predestined for him …”

Nori sighed. “I know, I know. When?”

“A week after you got sick. She’s from the Iron Hills, and moved here to help integrate new paper-making techniques in that big paper mill near Weavers’ Way. Ori went down to help renegotiate the paper contract for the library with the mill owners. They did a tour before the negotiations, took the librarians down to her workshop to see the new methods and … they clicked.”

Nori rolled his eyes. “One of _those_? Ori was always a hopeless romantic, for all he’s never been interested in sex.”

Dwalin nudged his husband in the ribs – carefully. “Don’t whine. Just because it took us a while to get ourselves sorted out doesn’t mean that Ori and his ladylove can’t have an easier time of it.” Turning back to Yngva, he asked, “So they just knew?”

Yngva snorted. “Apparently Ori looked like someone’d dropped one of the paper presses on his head, and Nísi – that’s her name – was sputtering like a landed fish.”

Dwalin barked out a laugh, and Nori chuckled.

“That sounds like my little brother. Why’d you wait to tell us until now?” asked Nori, curious.

Yngva shrugged. “Dori asked me not too. Said he didn’t want you to have too much on your mind when you were sick. But he wants to have a family dinner as soon as you’re up to it.”

Nori and Dwalin both straightened; a Family Dinner (capitals typically warranted) was often a cause for alarm, a threat brought out only on dire occasions. That Dori felt an issue required such an event was very much bad news. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nori has pneumonia – an illness that tends to hit tired, overworked people very hard, especially in the winter. It can develop from a bad cold with shit luck or if not treated properly. Typically, the pneumonia itself doesn’t kill you – something else comes in and does the job when you’ve been weakened, like dehydration, or another virus. So not taking someone with pneumonia to a hospital can be a good idea if they can get proper care and medical attention at home – which is clearly the case for Nori.   
> The Silver Cup – Dori’s teashop.


	3. Scrupulously Polite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two parties and several arguments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey look! An update! It only took six weeks ....

            Nori had asked Dori to come and visit him soon after Yngva’s announcement about Ori’s romantic life. He had done so, and it had soon become clear that Dori did not approve of Nísi at all. Not that he could find any immediate fault in her, per se – Nori had pressed his brother until Dori had been forced to admit that she seemed to match Ori well – but apparently Dori harbored some deep suspicion that Ori’s One was not interested in him for himself, but rather in some sort of attempt to miraculously improve herself. Nori had promised to scope the girl out, as much for his own information-gathering as for Dori’s peace of mind. Nori’s conclusions pleased him but not Dori – Nísi seemed a sensible lass, not given to any bad habits (well, at least not more than the next dwarrow, namely a good meal, a strong pint, and a good fight), and she was clearly quite taken with Ori. They took lunch together several times a week, and were so cute that Nori wanted to gag.

There was absolutely no indication that Nísi wanted anything from Ori but a painfully quiet future. And from the way that Dori was acting, a place of residence that was fairly far away from Ori’s relatives.

Nori tried not to smirk when he told Dori this. His attempts failed.  

oOoOoOoOo

Dwalin felt that this dinner was one of the more awkward that he’d had to sit through in quite some time. And that included several years’ worth of court events, at home in Erebor or abroad. Including meals taken with _elves_. 

            Everyone was being _scrupulously_ polite, but the tension in the air was palpable. Dori’s knuckles were white on his teacup, and he seemed to have a developed a facial tic. Yngva was twitchy. Ori was doing his best to look unconcerned (while failing abysmally), and his One, a fine-boned little thing with tiny carnelians woven into her black hair, was almost cowering in her seat. Nori seemed outwardly unconcerned by the whole deal, but Dwalin could read the small signs of his uncertainty. Also, Nori being outwardly unconcerned meant jack shit. From experience, Nori could play outwardly unconcerned while being chased by a dragon.

            Unfortunately, the actual _food_ part of dinner was almost over. The meal had allowed everyone to fall back on the traditional rituals and politeness, but now, with the table cleared, Yngva having obediently cleared the table, there was something of an impasse. Dori seemed to be fighting an internal battle over the polite next stage of the dinner party routine – inviting everyone into the parlor for hot beverages and conversation.

            Ultimately, Dori’s politeness won out and the party moved into Dori and Ori’s immaculately-decorated parlor, though the conversation there was even more stilted, as there was less food and drink to focus on. By the time that Ori showed Nísi out – he had the sense not to try and go home with her – Dwalin was jittery from all the veiled criticism. Nori showed himself and his family out soon afterwards, knowing that joining the spiraling argument would do no good, and quite possibly a good deal of harm.

Before he left, Nori had made sure to drag Dori into the pantry and quietly tell exactly what he thought of his decision to make Ori pick between Dori and his One. Nori also stressed that he would not follow Dori in this; instead supporting Ori in his choice. Dori had stiffened at Nori’s words, and Nori knew that his older brother would be carefully considering his next course of action.    

oOoOoOoOoOo

            The process of wearing Dori down took some weeks, and included a good deal of blackmail, some judicious could-shouldering, and many arguments, which often degenerated into yelling. At one point, half of the living room furniture was in pieces – Nori had been glad that Yngva had been at Dori’s shop for that particular series of arguments. Eventually, Dori was convinced that Nísi wasn’t trying anything spurious, at which point he happily threw himself into wedding planning, mystifying everyone who didn’t know him well.

Nori amused himself at the wedding by watching Balin and Óin get teary-eyed, and by teasing Dori when he ran out of poet-handkerchiefs. Bilbo would have been proud. He then proceeded to fake getting increasingly drunk, raising Dori’s ire and making Ori laugh. Nísi looked almost as incensed as Dori until Ori showed her Nori version of how to look for the hints of one who is only faking drunkenness – a skill that Dori had never mastered.

As Nori staggered home with Dwalin (Yngva had gone home with Gimli’s mother and younger sister earlier), perhaps a little too tipsy after all, he reflected on the betting pool he had set up on when he would become an uncle ….   


End file.
